City wants nightclub closed

DANBURY - The patrol officer thought something wasn't right when he saw two women leaving Club 11 on Ives Street.

He parked his car, went to the rear of the building and walked in through a back door.
Inside he heard music playing, saw the house lights flashing and saw people drinking and dancing - some of them even on top of the bar. One problem - it was 5 a.m., three hours after the state-mandated last call.
That's one of the reasons the state has fined Club 11 at 11 Ives Street $10,000 and suspended its liquor license for five days.
The fine and suspension stem from three incidents from 2005. However, this is not the first time Club 11 has been in hot water.
City officials complain that every time Club 11 gets into trouble, the state liquor commission's sanctions are little more than a slap on the wrist. Now Mayor

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said he wants to see the downtown nightclub closed once and for all.
"Every time they've received violations with the state
Liquor Control Commission
, we've asked in the hearings that their permit be pulled," Boughton said. "They suspend it for a day or two, but they won't pull it. This is a bar that refuses to follow the rules."
Club 11 also was fined $10,000 and had its license suspended for four days in 2005. The club - then under different ownership - was fined $27,000 by the state Liquor Commission in 2003.
The mayor said the city's next step will be to contact the Nuisance Abatement Unit of the Chief State's Attorney Office. The unit investigates problem properties - including establishments that have been cited for selling alcohol to minors.
"We have to appeal to a higher authority because the state Liquor Control Commission isn't getting it done," Boughton said.
In a brief interview, Club 11 owner

Brian Marshall
said the incidents for which he was cited "happened over a year ago."
Marshall said he reached a deal with the state liquor commission, which called for a fine and suspension of his liquor license on Feb. 24, 25 and 26 and March 2 and 6. But he still maintains he's done nothing wrong. Marshall said, but because he wants to avoid a state hearing. "It's not an admission of guilt," Marshall said.
In past interviews, Marshall has said that Danbury officials - from Boughton to the police department - are unfairly targeting his business. He has said he gets raided more than any other nightclub even though his club is safe, has adequate security and tries not to serve minors.
Club 11's latest round of problems started Jan. 9, 2005, said

John Suchy
, director of the state
Liquor Control Division
.
A 20-year-old patron allegedly told police he was drunk at the bar and was roughed up by one of the bouncers at Club 11 - to the point where he had to seek medical attention.
"As a result of the police investigation it was determined that he had, in fact, been in the restaurant, became intoxicated and became involved in an altercation with a bouncer," Suchy said.
The Jan. 9 incident caused the bar to be cited for selling alcohol to a minor, allowing a minor in the barroom and selling alcohol to an intoxicated person.
Then on Jan. 16, 2005, two police officers reported they saw alcohol being served and consumed by patrons at 2:15 a.m. State law says alcohol cannot be sold past 2 a.m.
"When the police officers asked management about this, they were told that the 30 people in the restaurant were employees of the place, which didn't make any sense," Suchy said.
The last incident was Feb. 6, 2005 - when an officer entered through the back door at 5 a.m.
"There were open containers of liquor in the bar. There was a bartender behind the bar. Several people were sitting at the bar and several people were walking around the bar," Suchy said.
Suchy said Marshall, the owner, was inside Club 11 when the officer walked in. "He was uncooperative with the police and stated that all the people in the bar were employees cleaning up," Suchy said. "Based upon that, police sent a referral to us."
Suchy isn't the person who decides whether to impose fines or suspend liquor licenses. That's up to the state Liquor Commission, a three-person commission. Commissioner
Edwin R. Rodriguez
was not available for comment Friday.
Suchy said anyone in the city who has a problem with Club 11's liquor license can submit a petition to the state
Department of Consumer Protection
at least 21 days before the club's liquor license comes up for renewal in May.
If at least 10 people sign the petition, the Department of Consumer Protection will hold a formal hearing, at which residents can make their views known.